Crabs and Spaghetti Revisited

I posted this recipe in 2005 and I've tweaked a few things since. The revised version is below;

This recipe is what I was introduced to crabs with and my main motivation for crabbing. It's been handed down from my grandmother,and now somewhat modified you won't be disappointed. The gravy alone is incredible, the crabs at the end are the icing on the cake. I'm going to list the ingredients, the amounts are not exact measurements but I'll explain in the preparation.

Ingredients:
Extra virgin olive oil
Crushed garlic
Finely chopped sweet yellow onion (vidalia)
Crushed red pepper
Cayenne pepper
Salt
Fresh Italian Parsley
Black pepper
Crushed tomatoes Do yourself a favor and use San Marzano tomoatos if you can find them(unseasoned)
tomato paste
Fresh basil (This goes in at the very end, do not add with the other ingredients in the oil simmer mixture)
Red Wine (optional)
Oregano
Sugar
Angel Hair Pasta (or your favorite variety)
Crabs

First step is preparing the crabs, I find that it is best to clean them live though grandmom used to boil them to kill them. Boiling works but is messy and you lose some of the flavor. To clean them live without getting pinched, place the crabs in a cooler and cover them with ice for about 10 minutes or so. This will put them to sleep and allow you to safely remove the shell and clean them. I like to break the cleaned bodies in half as this makes it easier to stir the gravy.

Next, coat the bottom of a pot with extra virgin olive oil, and put in about two or three tablespoons of crushed garlic (fresh is best but I sometimes use the jarred type with good results) add another two or three tablespoons of chopped onion alos. Remove the stems from the fresh Italian parsley and chop it finely, three tablespoons should be good but a little more or less is OK. In a pinch use dried parsley but it definitely will not be as good. Put in a dash or two of cayenne and crushed red pepper. You can add more as the gravy simmers so don't go overboard here. Add a pinch of oregano, no more or it will be overpowering. Also add some salt and black pepper. You should have enough of seasonings and oil in the bottom that you can just about swish it around. Simmer this mixture on the lowest heat you can making sure to stir it and not let it burn. Add a couple of crabs and cover the pot while it simmers. Make sure to stir it occasionally. It should be smelling pretty wonderful right about now!

Once the oil mixture and crabs have simmered for about 10 minutes remove the crabs and you can start adding the other ingredients. Start with the splash of red wine if you're using it and 1 small can of tomato paste. Saute that for a few minutes but don't have the heat up too high. Add the crushed tomatoes and turn the heat up a little bit to get the oil and seasonings mixed throughout the tomatoes. I typically will use 2-4 cans for 1-2 dozen crabs depending on the size. Add a pinch or two of sugar, no more or you're gravy will be too sweet. Once the gravy is thoroughly mixed start adding your crabs. Bring the mix to a slow boil and let it cook for 15 - 20 minutes stirring often. (In the mean time start a large pot of water boiling to cook your pasta. Add a dash of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil to the water. ) Turn down the heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes longer stirring occasionally and testing for sufficient hot pepper and salt (add more of each if you like). After ten minutes of simmering add 3-5 fresh basil leaves (a teaspoon of dried if you must substitute) and turn off the heat. Let it stand for another 10 minutes then use tongs and remove the crabs and place in a separate bowl. Cook your pasta until it's made the way you like.

Strain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop it from cooking. Place it in a large pasta bowl and coat with some of the gray. Serve the pasta first and then use the pasta plates when you're done to hold the empty shells while you eat the crabs. A homemade red wine if you can get it goes great with it or any red Italian table wine (like the kind you buy by the gallon).

Enjoy!